Our mission at Catholic Men Chicago Southland is to empower local Catholic men to deepen their spiritual lives and bring Jesus Christ into their daily relationships. This vision was born in 2004 when Deacon John Rangel, David Taylor, and I met with Reverend Bishop Joseph N. Perry to seek his blessing for our initiative. Although Bishop Perry is now retired, his legacy continues to inspire our mission today.
We initially sought Bishop Perry's guidance because of his role as our local Vicar in Vicariate VI on the far south end of the Archdiocese of Chicago. We recognized the importance of having a strong foundation and platform to support our efforts. Bishop Perry not only understood the value of our initiative but also encouraged us to challenge men in the Vicariate to live up to the virtues of a Catholic man and make Christ the center of their lives.
Our decision to maintain a manageable size within the Vicariate has proven to be a wise choice. This approach allows us to provide a template for other groups seeking to establish similar initiatives in their own Vicariates. While there has been significant interest, only one commitment has been made in the Edgewater area of Chicago.
As a third-generation Knight of Columbus, I have a deep understanding of the importance of Catholic men's ministry. However, I realized that there was a need for a Catholic men's spirituality prayer breakfast that would challenge men to replace bad habits with good habits and develop a holy life. This concept is rooted in the idea of "feeding the stomach and then feeding the soul."
In the 1980s, men's conferences began to emerge, but many fell short of making a lasting impact on men's lives. I believe that we need Catholic men who model virtues and goodness, making a positive difference in the lives of others. As Matthew Kelly once said, "We are a people of possibility, the Holy Spirit is the great encourager … holiness is possible."
Jesus Christ desires a personal relationship with each of us, but he also wants us to be in covenant with him. This covenant is rooted in the New Covenant established through his sacrifice and renewed through the Holy Eucharist. When we gather at the family table for the sacred meal, we become one with Christ and with each other.
In the home, men are called to lay down their lives for their wives, serving them as Jesus served the Church. The Christian home is the domestic church, a community of grace and prayer, where children receive their first proclamation of the faith. As Saint Paul said, "Power is made perfect in weakness," reminding us that our strength lies in our vulnerability and dependence on others.
Jesus wants us to know not only the Father and the Holy Spirit but also his Blessed Mother and all his sainted brothers and sisters. He desires us to live according to the family structure he established for his Church on earth, with the Pope and all the bishops and priests united to him.
The Gospel is not about setting up a legal system but about transforming hearts, freeing people from the darkness and slavery of sin. As Cardinal Francis George once said, "We as a Catholic Church have much to learn from our Protestant brothers and sisters about marketing and promotion, and evangelization."
In response to this challenge, we began an online ministry in 2009 to reach Catholic men in any way possible and learn from those who are skilled in evangelization. However, Bishop Perry reminded us to balance our online efforts with in-person worship and community involvement in the pews. Community is the foundation of our Catholicism, and we strive to nurture Catholic men's spirituality through in-person gatherings and Mass.
Our approach is not about accountability to each other but about covenant with Jesus, which transforms us as men. When we foster a man in holiness, the positive adjustments he makes create a positive impact that can be felt for three generations. This takes transforming one man at a time from good intentions into right-action, developing a holy church, and recognizing the essential role of fathers in a healthy family.
